Training flight becomes emergency run

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter was on a training mission Saturday morning that turned into a real mission.

The flight was meant to familiarise paramedic Shawn Kelly with the aircraft and its features. But while airborne, the crew received a report of a single car accident on Anton Bodden Drive in Bodden Town. A vehicle carrying three occupants had overturned.

The crew decided to respond and arrived first on the scene, landing the helicopter in a nearby open field. Deputy Unit Commander Neil Mohammed assisted Kelly in assessing those injured in the accident and relayed the information to the ambulances en route. The injured occupants were transported to hospital, treated and released.

“We were pleased to be able to provide assistance to the persons who were involved in the collision, while also having the opportunity to put our training with our HSA partners into practice,” deputy Mohammed said in a news release.

Kelly said the event was “an invaluable experience to have as part of this training”.

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